I think you’re a couple of ice creams short of an interval, Mr. Holmes. We don’t do murders in the theatre. It’s bad for audience numbers!”
It’s Christmas in Victorian London but in the West End – where dreams come true and nothing bad ever happens – a flurry of performers are suddenly dying mid-scene. Scotland Yard rules out foul play…until the world’s greatest consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, discovers an intriguing link to The Twelve Days of Christmas. The game is afoot!
Racing against the clock to save French Hens, find Gold Rings and rescue Mother Goose, Sherlock plunges himself into mortal danger. Will this really be the last stand for our hero, or will his trusty sidekick Dr Watson and rival hotshot detective Athena Faversham ensure he lives to consume another Christmas Pudding…?
This World Premiere comedy whodunnit is penned by Fringe-favourites and comic geniuses, The Penny Dreadfuls’ Humphrey Ker and David Reed, with brand new songs by legendary musical theatre duo Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
A laugh-out-loud festive murder mystery, join us at 221b Baker St this Christmas for mischief, mayhem and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!
For everyone aged 10 to 110!
Great rates for schools and groups! Find out more at ticket.services@birmingham-rep.co.uk or call 0121 236 4455.
Venue
Presented by
Birmingham Rep in association with Heartaches Ltd
Written by
Humphrey Ker & David Reed
Original Songs by
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Directed by
Phillip Breen with Becky Hope-Palmer
Designed by
Mark Bailey
Price
From £29.50
Special Offers
Aged 16 to 25 Discounted tickets are available for this production for registered 16-25 members on the Mon 17 Nov, Tue 18 Nov, and Wed 19 Nov performances at 7pm. T&Cs apply – Find Out More
Rep Friends
Become a Rep Friend and save up to 15% with no transaction fees, plus many more membership benefits.
T&Cs apply – Find Out More
Access Performances
Audio Described: Sat 13 Dec 2pm and Sat 10 Jan 2pm. (described by Carolyn Smith)
A Free Touch Tour is available to book at 12.30pm before the Audio Described performance.
BSL Interpreted: Thu 4 Dec 10.45am and Fri 5 Dec 7pm (interpreted by Hyacinth Powell)
Captioned: Thu 27 Nov 10.45am (Schools Performance), Thu 27 Nov 7pm, Wed 3 Dec 10.15am (Schools Performance), Wed 3 Dec 3pm, Thu 11 Dec 7pm, Fri 12 Dec 10.45am (Schools Performance), Sat 20 Dec 2pm, Sat 20 Dec 7pm, Sun 28 Dec 2pm, Mon 29 Dec 2pm, and Mon 29 Dec 7pm. (captioned by Cara Lawless)
Relaxed: Fri 2 Jan 4pm
Post Show Discussion
There will be a Post Show Discussion following the performance on Fri 9 Jan at 7pm.
Age Guidance
For everyone aged 10 to 110!
Please note, no under 5s will be admitted to the auditorium.
Content Advice
Please note that this performance will contain gun shot sound effects.
Fees & Charges
Please note there is a transaction fee of £3.50 on all payment types.
Cast
Humphrey Ker
Humphrey Ker is an Emmy and Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning writer, actor and football club director.
He is known for his roles on NBC’s American Auto, FX’s It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and BBC1’s Daddy Issues, alongside appearances on Have I got News For You, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Welcome To Wrexham.
As a writer he has worked for three seasons on Apple TV Hit Mythic Quest, written the upcoming Amazon Prime Feature Film If I Were You and the stage and feature film versions of Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher.
David Reed
David Reed is a playwright, actor and comedian.
Radio credits include: Macbeth Rebothered, The Odyssey, Curse of The Beagle, Le Carré On Spying, Don Quixote, Hadrian’s Beard, Richard III Rebothered and Severus (Co-written with Paterson Joseph). He is the creator of Audible Original series Zeroes and BBC3 animated series The Real History of Sex.
Television credits include: Daddy Issues, It’s Kevin & The Wrong Door. His debut theatrical production, Guy Fawkes, was staged by York Theatre Royal in 2022.
John Kearns
John Kearns is an actor, writer and the only comedian to have won both the Edinburgh Comedy Awards for Best Show and Best Newcomer in the awards’ 40-year history.
John was a breakout star of Series 14 of Taskmaster and his wider credits include the lead role in cult hit BBC3/Netflix sitcom Top Coppers, co-host of Guessable alongside Sara Pascoe and team captain Alan Davies, Would I Lie To You?, Live at the Apollo, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and House of Games.
John’s fifth stand-up comedy hour The Varnishing Days was filmed and released as a special on Sky and Now TV in August 2024 following a sold-out nationwide tour and his new show will tour the UK in 2026.
Margaret Cabourn-Smith
Theatre includes: Spike (Watermill Theatre & National Tour), Dick Whittington (Lyric Hammersmith), The Half, The Congress of Oddities (Pleasance), John Finnemore’s Flying Visit (Tour/Yellow Car Productions), Di & Viv & Rose (Stephen Joseph Theatre).
TV and Film includes: Cheaters, Daddy Issues, Eastenders, Motherland, Catastrophe, Miranda, Buffering, The Hustle, Holby City, Bucket, The Agency, Evermoor, The IT Crowd, Father Figure, In and Out of the Kitchen, Fresh Meat, Bleak Old Shop of Stuff, We Are Mongrels, Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show, Psychoville.
Radio includes: Randy Feltface’s Destruction Manual, The Archers, Sick, Woman’s Hour, The Penny Dreadfuls, John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programme, The Missing Hancocks, The Pin, Ed Reardon’s Week, The Brig Society, The Secret World, Beauty of Britain, Newsjack, The Now Show, Another Case of Milton Jones, Bigipedia, In and Out of the Kitchen, Sarah Millican’s Support Group, Brian Gulliver’s Travels.
Podcasts include: Crushed By Margaret Cabourn-Smith, The Guilty Feminist, Do the Right Thing, Inside the Comedian, Hoovering, Smershpod.
Christian Andrews
Christian is originally from South Wales and trained at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.
Theatre Credits Include: Operation Mincemeat (Fortune Theatre, West End), Shit-faced Showtime: A Pissedmas Carol, Shit-faced Showtime: Alice Through the Cocktail Glass (London and Edinburgh), Turning the Screw (New Wimbledon Theatre), Present Laughter (FST), Cinderella (Gordon Craig Theatre).
Television Credits Include; Autopsy; The Last Hours of Roy Orbison (ITV), D-Day 80 at the Royal Albert Hall (ITV), VE Day; a celebration to remember (BBC) and campaigns for McDonald’s, Audible and Paddy Power.
Susan Harrison
Susan is an award-winning actress, character comedian and improviser.
Theatre Credits include: Showstopper! The Improvised Musical (UK tour and West End); Pinocchio (Unicorn Theatre); Mischief Movie Night (Mischief Theatre); The Button (Subtext Theatre); Peter Pan Goes Wrong (Apollo Theatre); Heels Of Glory (Chelsea Theatre); Robin Hood and Marian (New Vic Theatre); Jennie Benton Wordsmith (Underbelly, Edinburgh);The Elephantom (The National) Bagpuss (Soho Theatre/Birmingham Stage);Be Our Guest (BBC Salford Sitcom Showcase); Creatures –Three Weeks Editor’s Choice Award Winner (Edinburgh Fringe); The Gathering (Theatre Abandon); Charlie and Lola (PolkaTheatre and BBC Worldwide); Hansel and Gretel (Barbican/Catherine Wheels); The BFG (Polka); Home East Lothian (National Theatre Scotland); Little Women (Theatreworks); Men Should Weep (Oxford Stage Company); The Fence (The Wrestling School); Bad Girls (Polka Theatre & Number 1 Tour); The Melancholy Hussar (Etcetera Theatre); Too Far to Walk (King’s Head Theatre) Nightflights, Abody’s Aberdee and Pants (Dundee Rep).
Short Film Credits include: Richer Than God: The Tony Milch (The Awkward Silence); A Mind Full (Offkey World); One Size Fits All (Tasters) (One Size Productions); Seashore (Organised Chaos Films); Plant Fashion (Sea Urchin Films); Power of POW! (PHILLIMOREfilms).
Audio Credits include: DR WHO: THE THIRD DOCTOR ADVENTURES, DR WHO AND THE BRAIN DRAIN and Doctor Who: The Second Doctor Adventures: Conspiracy of Raven (Big Finish); Beef and Dairy Network (Maximum Fun); Victoriocity Season 3 (Victoriocity Productions); The Rez (Rezilience Ltd); Shan Hai Jing Stories (CulturEd); Archergeddon (Gigglemug Sounds); Lost in Time & Super Rivals (MTFLIX); To Sleep To Dream (Earfilms); When Romantic Things Happen For No Apparent Reason (RoosterTeeth).
Cameron Johnson
Training: LAMDA.
Credits include: Mr Braithwaite in Billy Elliot (Curve Theatre, Leicester), Jamie’s Dad/ Resident Director in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (UK & International Tour), Mr Myers in Fame The Musical (UK Tour), Widow Twankey in Aladdin Rock’n Roll Pantomime (Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich), Morocco in Europe, Mike Connor in High Society and Bruce in People (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Big Moe in Five Guys Named Moe (Underbelly Festival Square Edinburgh), Big Jule in Guys & Dolls (UK Tour & Phoenix Theatre), Memphis in The Life (English Theatre Frankfurt), Marvin in I Will Be Everything (New International Encounter), Nugget in Equus (Pomegranate Theatre), Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol, The Narrator in The Boxed Romeo & Juliet (BoxClever Theatre) and Mrs. Rochester in The Brontës of Dunwich Heath…and Cliff (Eastern Angles).
Amanda Lindgren
Training: Stockholm/Sweden, Musical Theatre
Theatre Credits Include: Aladdin (Göta Lejon); Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Gothenburg Opera); The Party (Strut n Fret); HEX (National Theatre); SIX (Kenny Wax Ltd); South Pacific (Chichester Festival Theatre); King and I (Trafalgar); Cabaret (Gothenburg Operahouse); Miss Saigon International tour (Cameron Mackintosh) Original cast, Miss Saigon (Cameron Mackintosh); Snow White – The Musical (Dröse & Norberg) Cabaret (Dröse & Norberg); Spring Awakening (Base23).
Workshops Include: Red Book
Concert Credits Include: We Will Rock You (Live Nation)
Mia Overfield
Theatre whilst training, include: Little Women, The Wild Party and Putting it Together (Arden School of Theatre)
Theatre Credits include: Cable Street (The Southwark Playhouse), David Walliams’ Demon Dentist (UK Tour), Snow White (UK Productions – Winner: Best Female Lead – Pantomime Awards 2025) and Jack & The Beanstalk (York Theatre Royal).
Andrew Pugsley
Theatre Credits Include: Showstopper! The Improvised Musical (West End and National Tour), Game Theory (Tristan Bates Theatre); The Society of Strange (International Tour); The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (Big Wooden Horse); The Fantastical Story Factory (Extempore Theatre); Murder Most Fowl (Quay Arts Centre); The Mikado (Tabard Theatre); Wind in the Willows (Brewhouse Theatre); Lady Macbeth (Cockpit Theatre), Romeo and Juliet (Oval House Theatre).
Voice Over Credits Include: Shameless Women (Mobley Street Productions); Raiders of the Lost Art (3DD).
Chomba S. Taulo
Theatre Credits Include: Anne Boleyn: The Musical (Historalia Productions); Pretty Woman: The Musical (Theatre 11 Zurich and UK Tour); A CHRISTMAS CAROL THE MUSICAL (Hope Mill Theatre / The Lowry); The Book Of Mormon (West End and UK/INT Tour); Mayday Mayday Tuesday: Mikhail’s Story (Ugly Duck).
Deborah Tracey
Deb trained at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where she holds an Honorary Fellowship for her “distinguished contribution to the acting profession”.
Theatre Credits Include: Matilda (Royal Shakespeare Company/West End) Standing At The Sky’s Edge (National Theatre/ Sheffield Theatres), Horrible Histories: ‘Orible Opera at the BBC Proms (BBC/ Birmingham Stage Company), RECOGNITION (Talawa Theatre Company), Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical (ROYO/Hall for Cornwall), A Moment Of Madness (UK tour), Dogwalker (Stephen Joseph Theatre), United Queendom (Les Enfants Terribles), A Mad World My Masters (Royal Shakespeare Company), Alice’s Adventures Underground (Les Enfants Terribles). Deborah is also a pantomime stalwart and a National Pantomime Association Nominee for Best Mythical Being.
TV and Radio Credits Include: This England (Sky Atlantic), Spirit Rangers (Netflix), The Archers (BBC), American Monster (ID) Doctors (BBC) Obsessions (Warner Bros. Discovery), Fee Fi Fo…Yum! (BBC).
Film Credits Include: Us and in Between (Flyer Films/ BFI), Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (Fox Searchlight), Patient Zero (Sony Pictures)
Other: Deborah also writes, performs and co-produces her own critically acclaimed stage shows, Death of a Beauty Saleswoman and Fades, Braids and Keeping it Real.
Helena Wilson
Theatre Credits Include: The Estate and Jack Absolute Flies Again (National Theatre); The Hills of California (West End and Broadway; Linck & Mülhahn (Hampstead Theatre); White Noise (Bridge Theatre); Measure for Measure, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and The Lady from the Sea (Donmar Warehouse) and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (The Old Vic).
Radio and Audiobook Credits Include: The Tempest (BBC Radio 3); Something About Her (Penguin Books).
Creative Team
Writer
Humphrey Ker
Humphrey Ker
Humphrey Ker is an Emmy and Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning writer, actor and football club director.
He is known for his roles on NBC’s American Auto, FX’s It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and BBC1’s Daddy Issues, alongside appearances on Have I got News For You, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Welcome To Wrexham.
As a writer he has worked for three seasons on Apple TV Hit Mythic Quest, written the upcoming Amazon Prime Feature Film If I Were You and the stage and feature film versions of Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher.
David Reed
David Reed
David Reed is a playwright, actor and comedian.
Radio credits include: Macbeth Rebothered, The Odyssey, Curse of The Beagle, Le Carré On Spying, Don Quixote, Hadrian’s Beard, Richard III Rebothered and Severus (Co-written with Paterson Joseph). He is the creator of Audible Original series Zeroes and BBC3 animated series The Real History of Sex.
Television credits include: Daddy Issues, It’s Kevin & The Wrong Door. His debut theatrical production, Guy Fawkes, was staged by York Theatre Royal in 2022.
Original Songs by
Tim Rice
Tim Rice
TIM RICE has worked in music, theatre and films since 1965. With Andrew Lloyd Webber he wrote three of the biggest musicals in theatre history: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita.
He has since collaborated with other distinguished composers such as Elton John (The Lion King; Aida), Alan Menken (Aladdin; King David; Beauty and the Beast), Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (Chess), and Stuart Brayson (From Here To Eternity). He has also written with Freddie Mercury, Burt Bacharach, Gary Barlow, Marvin Hamlisch and Rick Wakeman among others.
In 2024 Tim toured England (22 towns/cities) to present an evening of his songs, recalling their creation, success (or rejection) and the joy (usually) of working with great composers. The show, entitled My Life in Musicals, did so well that it is to be repeated in 2025. He has recently recorded a series of talks for BBC Maestro on Writing and Performing in Musical Theatre.
Tim’s interests beyond the entertainment business include cricket, and he founded his own team in 1973. He dedicates considerable time to several British educational institutions and charities, many connected with sport for disadvantaged children. He is a patron of the Bob Willis Fund (along with Bob Dylan!), an enterprise inspired by the late great English cricketer, dedicated to raise prostate cancer awareness.
He was knighted by Her Late Majesty the Queen in 1994 and, like Elton, Andrew and Alan, has won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony – thus achieving ‘EGOT’ status. Despite hints, he is not retiring just yet.
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Director
Phillip Breen
Phillip Breen
Becky Hope Palmer
Becky Hope Palmer
Designer
Mark Bailey
Mark Bailey
Lighting Designer
Anna Watson
Anna Watson
Sound Designer
Luke Swaffield
Luke Swaffield
Movement Director
Georgina Lamb
Georgina Lamb
Fights
Renny Krupinski
Renny Krupinski
Illusions
Chris Fisher
Chris Fisher
Will Houstoun
Will Houstoun
Music Supervisor
John Rigby
John Rigby
Musical Director
Christopher Mundy
Christopher Mundy
Casting Director
Helena Palmer CDG
Helena Palmer CDG
Helena is a freelance casting director with over 20 years’ experience. She began her casting career at the Royal Exchange, Manchester and then with the National Theatre. She was Casting Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company from 2008 to 2021.
Theatre includes: The Government Inspector and Anna Karenina (Chichester Festival Theatre); Red or Dead (Liverpool’s Royal Court); Gigi & Dar (Arcola Theatre); An Inspector Calls (PW Productions – 2024 UK tour); The Glass Menagerie (Rose Theatre, Kingston and tour); Untitled F*ck M*ss S**gon Play (Manchester Royal Exchange/Young Vic); No Pay? No Way!, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Beginning (Manchester Royal Exchange); The Tempest and Cymbeline (Royal Shakespeare Company); Linck & Mülhahn, Mary and The Fever Syndrome (Hampstead Theatre); The White Factory and Dmitry (Marylebone Theatre) and The Mirror and the Light (Gielgud Theatre).
Helena is a member of the Casting Directors’ Guild.
Orchestral Management
David Gallagher
David Gallagher
Production Manager
Suzy Somerville
Suzy Somerville
Props Supervisor
Robin Morgan
Robin Morgan
Robin Morgan is the props supervisor for The Play What I Wrote.
Costume Supervisor
Kay Wilton
Kay Wilton
Kay worked for 30 years as a freelance designer/ maker for theatre, film, ballet and opera including shows at The Rep, Birmingham Royal Ballet and film and opera with director Ken Russell.
She joined The Rep as full time maker, milliner and costume supervisor in 2013 and was appointed head of department in 2017.
This was also the year that The Rep created NATIVITY! The Musical, one of her favourite shows to work on, well worth all the effort it took to create. The show is a joy to work on as well as to watch. It is everything that a Christmas show should have and the sparkle and shine we all need just now.
Wigs Supervisor
Andriea Nelson
Andriea Nelson
Sherlock Holmes
All Tickets £25
Please note, this performance has been sold as a schools’ performance and therefore the audience will mainly consist of school parties. Please direct any school enquiries to schoolbookings@birmingham-rep.co.uk.
A limited number of tickets may go on sale at a later date.
Please note, this performance has been sold as a schools’ performance and therefore the audience will mainly consist of school parties. Please direct any school enquiries to schoolbookings@birmingham-rep.co.uk.
A limited number of tickets may go on sale at a later date.
Please note, this performance has been sold as a schools’ performance and therefore the audience will mainly consist of school parties. Please direct any school enquiries to schoolbookings@birmingham-rep.co.uk.
A limited number of tickets may go on sale at a later date.
Please note, this performance has been sold as a schools’ performance and therefore the audience will mainly consist of school parties. A limited number of tickets may go on sale at a later date.
Please note, this performance has been sold as a schools’ performance and therefore the audience will mainly consist of school parties. Please direct any school enquiries to schoolbookings@birmingham-rep.co.uk.
A limited number of tickets may go on sale at a later date.
Please note, this performance has been sold as a schools’ performance and therefore the audience will mainly consist of school parties. Please direct any school enquiries to schoolbookings@birmingham-rep.co.uk.
A limited number of tickets may go on sale at a later date.
Please note, this performance has been sold as a schools’ performance and therefore the audience will mainly consist of school parties. Please direct any school enquiries to schoolbookings@birmingham-rep.co.uk.
A limited number of tickets may go on sale at a later date.
Please note, this performance has been sold as a schools’ performance and therefore the audience will mainly consist of school parties. Please direct any school enquiries to schoolbookings@birmingham-rep.co.uk.
A limited number of tickets may go on sale at a later date.
Please note, this performance has been sold as a schools’ performance and therefore the audience will mainly consist of school parties. Please direct any school enquiries to schoolbookings@birmingham-rep.co.uk.
A limited number of tickets may go on sale at a later date.
Please note, this performance has been sold as a schools’ performance and therefore the audience will mainly consist of school parties. Please direct any school enquiries to schoolbookings@birmingham-rep.co.uk.
A limited number of tickets may go on sale at a later date.
Please note, this performance has been sold as a schools’ performance and therefore the audience will mainly consist of school parties. Please direct any school enquiries to schoolbookings@birmingham-rep.co.uk.
A limited number of tickets may go on sale at a later date.